Tales of Middle-earth: 4. Gemini

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4. Gemini

Come one, come allGather as the tale is toldThe tale of the silver princesThe Silver Princes of Doriath of old

Eluréd and Elurin were theyTwins with locks of silver as Tilion's raysIn joy they lived by the light of the SilmarilIn the winter of Doriath in ages long ago

But joy cannot last in Arda marredThe end of Doriath was all too nearFor the seven sons of the spirit of fireSought the last rays of the trees of light

The red sun heralded their comingThe coming of the sons of fireThe wind of death caught their bannerThe end of Doriath was written ere long

Nothing remained, ruins saveA Kingdom lost to time and thoughtThe brothers survived but left to dieDie upon the frozen river

But death was not their lot that dayAnd found they were by a grieving soulA She-wolf with a dead mate and cubFound the brothers to suckle at her milk filled buds

So the brothers survived the fallThe fall of Doriath of legend and songDwelling with the wolf they lovedWho loved them back as she would her own cubs

Till one day they heard a voiceA voice sweeter than the call of birdsSinging a sad song of a maiden long goneWith night black hair and eyes like stars

Daeron it was, the fabled minstrel of DoriathWho found his princes in the den of the wolfJoy was in his heart to find them aliveThe scions of his princess whom he loved

He took the boys and the wolf as wellFor the three would not part, no matter whatTo the east they went, looking to the sunAfraid the west would bring them not but woe

Up mountains they climbed, down valleys they wentRivers they followed to their source and beyondAt last they came upon the banks of a dark lakeWhere trees grew ever green and ever more

Their they stopped to dwell for a spellBut found themselves caught in the middleMiddle of fear, of hate and confusionMorgoth's legacy from times long ago

You see a tribe humans dweltIn the banks of the dark lakeWho feared the birth of two at onceThey feared the twins no matter what

In the dead of night they attackedThe brothers fought with all their mightBut their strength was not enoughTo save the wolf who fate made their mother

They charged village and asked them whyWhy harm them when they have done naughtThe people trembled and fumble but toldTold of a cave where twins were sent

The gods of blight dealt in the caveAnd all twins were food for themDaeron listened to songs and talesUncovering the nature of the said gods

Balrogs they were that Morgoth leftOn purpose perhaps, none can tellThey slept and feed and birthed fearMorgoth's purpose all too near

The brothers swore to defeat this evilNo other twins would be fodder for such evilDaeron followed the two he loved dearPerhaps a song of grand victory was near

Down and down they wentDown to the bowels of the earthTill they found the creatures of fire and shadowReady to fight and feast ever anon

Fight they did for days on endDaeron watched at the brothers biddingWith notched blades the brothers foughtNo grand weapons or master training to their name

At last the Balrogs fellTo the heart of Eä, never to returnBut the brothers faired little betterTheir wounds deep and gushing without end

Upon the stars they struggled to gazeDaeron wept and sang to avert the endBut death was never the lot of the twinsFor the lady of stars was on their side

She bid them come to the utter most westShe bid Daeron sing in doom's ringAs he sang she fashioned starsAnd the Gemini shown on the night sky

So it is the story endsThe twins found rest in the utter most westYet from the heavens they watch us allReady to fight when the need comes

******

Author's note: A retelling of Roman mythological tale to Romulus and Ramous and the Greek/Roman story of the Gemini twins.

This is a work of fan fiction, written because the author has an abiding love for the works of J R R Tolkien. The characters, settings, places, and languages used in this work are the property of the Tolkien Estate, Tolkien Enterprises, and possibly New Line Cinema, except for certain original characters who belong to the author of the said work. The author will not receive any money or other remuneration for presenting the work on this archive site. The work is the intellectual property of the author, is available solely for the enjoyment of Henneth Annûn Story Archive readers, and may not be copied or redistributed by any means without the explicit written consent of the author.

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